Jody’s Journey from Long Jumper, to Injury, to Physiotherapist

My plan when I was younger wasn’t to be a physiotherapist, but a long jumper. I was training and competing at national level and had won a few medals at competitions, including the South of England Championships. But then a pattern started to develop where, every March, I would start developing pain in my Achilles tendon.

This clearly wasn’t a coincidence: spring was when we would transition from strength and conditioning training into the explosive, high-force training that was essential for long jump, as well as when we would do warm weather training in places like Portugal and Malaysia to focus on competition preparation.

My body wasn’t able to keep up, and I needed to find out why so I could continue my training and my long jumping career.

I saw numerous physiotherapists, a couple of chiropractors and an osteopath, but the pain kept recurring. A friend referred me to a physiotherapist with athletics experience and a treatment approach that was focused on educating me about my body and my condition so I could manage the bulk of the recovery myself. It’s an approach that I continue to emulate to this day, but it also came with a harsh wake up call.

What I discovered, unfortunately, was that my body just wasn’t suited for long jumping. I have stiff, high arched feet, so every time I jumped, instead of my foot moulding to absorb the force, it would remain stiff and send most of the force up into my muscles and tendons – and the Achilles tendon was the first stop.

Obviously, hearing that my chosen sport was the source of my injury wasn’t what I wanted to hear, and this wasn’t a problem that could be solved with a couple of post-training massages. It didn’t mean I couldn’t be athletic anymore – even a 5k run was no problem for my feet – it was specifically the accumulative explosive forces sustained from long jumping that was overloading my Achilles tendon.

I was taught how to adapt my training to keep as much load away from my Achilles as possible, giving it enough time to rest and repair by limiting my explosive training to three days a week, while strengthening my calf muscles and tendons and working on my running mechanics so that they weren’t being overworked.

With this self-managed approach, I was finally seeing progress, but it was clear that the writing was on the wall for my long jump career. However, my experience of being treated by the physiotherapist who taught me how to manage my condition planted a fascination with the human body in me which continued to grow.

Eventually, I left long jumping behind and started my physiotherapy education at the University of East London. Long story short, I’m now working at Physio London helping other people manage their physical conditions like I once had to.

What I wish I had known then

I was long jumping in my late teens and early twenties, a period when I think everyone feels like they’re made of rubber and magic. Even though I was an athlete, I knew very little about my body and how my training might impact it. The same was true for most of my peers. Of course, hindsight is 20/20, but if I had started my athletic career with more knowledge about how the body works and my potential weaknesses, I may have been able to continue with it for longer or change to a sport which would have agreed more with my body.

If you’re an athlete yourself – whether professional or amateur – see a physiotherapist while you’re healthy. Athletics isn’t the most funded of sports, so unless you’re at the top end, you’re going to have to take responsibility for your own health. If you’re an amateur, that’s doubly true, as you’ll have less time to dedicate to working on your body.

By measuring your muscle strengths and joint movements, a physiotherapist can identify areas of potential weakness and teach you how to adapt your training – usually with very simple changes – so that they won’t develop as easily into an injury. Just a couple of visits a year can help you to keep track of your body in a way that’s simply impossible on your own – even physios see physios.

If you want to learn more about your body, book an appointment with us by emailing enquiries@physiolondon.co.uk or call us on 020 7093 3499.

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Great service. Quick and friendly. Identified my issue quickly and after a couple of sessions provided the exercises I needed to get me back to full strength without the need for any further physio. Very much recommended.

I went for a 30 minute sports massage with Sophie Wicks today. I've had a problem with tight knots in my calves and I thought a massage pre-race would be a good idea. She applied good hard pressure on those knots unlike many masseurs and also gave me some post-run tips for loosening those muscles. Unlike many practitioners, she did not oversell and say that I needed a massage once a month or every week as I don't get many running related injuries. I will definitely be back.

These folk have been looking after me very well since 2007 through various sports injuries. They offer a comprehensive team of truly excellent specialists.Yet they are still small enough to be personal have a clear sense of who each client/patient is. The level of communication is first rate, as is attention to detail. Very convenient to get to from Canary Wharf.

I saw Milly Mirkovic for a sports related shoulder injury. I received excellent, expert professional care. Milly performed really detailed assessments at each appointment and set me tailored exercise programmes that were achievable. This got me back to normal fitness (and some!) in a reasonable timeframe. A couple of months along now and no recurrence of the problem. Many thanks.

I worked with Kasia Z. to deal with a torn elbow tendon, and I cannot recommend her enough. She was great to work with: patient, understanding and flexible. She gave me exercises to do at home to help speed the recovery process and was very responsive in tailoring them to my feedback as to what worked and what i was finding hard to incorporate into my daily routine. She not only helped me with the elbow, but gave me some great insights into my body, as well as recommending types of exercises I should focus on to prevent repeat injuries.

Following persistent pain in my knee, I saw my GP who recommended physiotherapy sessions.
I contacted Physiotherapy London (Canary Wharf) and got an appointment quickly and at a convenient time.
I saw a lower limb specialist who was very knowledgeable and friendly.
He took time to assess the problem, discussed with me various way of improving the condition and showed me in detail exercises I could do at home.
Very positive experience from the reception lady to the specialist.
Highly recommended.

My physiotherapist Candice is fab. I can't say enough great things about her and her professionalism. After suffering a trapped nerve and extremely painful scapula for nearly 8 weeks all the NHS would offer me was strong drugs, I was at my wit's end. I saw Candice, she gave me a comprehensive medical diagnosis as to what was causing the problem and has offered to refer me back into the NHS should a set schedule of regular treatments not rectify the problem.
I was dubious about going privately for treatment as money is tight, but this organisation seems to want to help. There is not a schedule of endless appointments and the prices are reasonable. The condition is improving slowly and I feel better in myself knowing what caused it and that I am in safe hands going forward.
Thank you Candice.

I have used Physiotherapy London at their Westferry studio on and off for several years and for various (never serious) reasons. I have always found them to be knowledgeable and professional in their approach, and they do not drag out and prolong the treatment beyond what is necessary. I am being treated by Mani at present for a problem with my wrists and have to say that he is just a bit exceptional. So approachable and kind.
I cannot praise him enough. I highly recommend this practice.

Visited physiotherapist in Slough for my shoulder pain, after 10 session no improvement was made whatsoever. Saw orthopedic who referred me to Mani Bhangra at Physiotherapy London (canary wharf). I could see the major improvements within 5 sessions.
Mani knows what he does like a pro. Couldn't recommend him enough.
The lovely lady on reception is also credit to the business, very friendly and welcoming.

I was referred to Scott Branny at Physiotherapy London following a broken left ankle. Unbeknownst to Scott, I had also been suffering with chronic, debilitating nerve pain on my right side, as regards which I had been, at the time of our first Consultation, seeking help not only all over London but abroad also, to no avail. Simply put, I had started to give up all hope. Scott has not only helped me progress with my ankle but has worked steadily with a curiosity and integrity I have not experienced, towards ultimately freeing me of my nerve pain. He is the first medical professional I have come across for as long as I can remember in whom I truly believe I can place my trust and faith. He is a consummate professional who communicates with absolute clarity while maintaining a caring and empathic manner - qualities which, in my experience, are now extremely rare. My experience of the greater "team" has also been second to none. In Sue, on reception, you could not wish for a more supportive and understanding point of contact, and equally in her colleague Karlie, the "human touch" is never forgotten and, refreshingly, nothing is ever a problem. Furthermore, they all own a very real understanding of the "life" complications, and a true sensitivity to the difficulties, which accompany injury and pain. In sum, I would recommend Scott and the team at Physiotherapy London, without reservation, and in the highest possible terms.

Great physio. Scott took the time to really understand my problem and is extremely knowledgeable and began fixing the problems in my first session.
Sue is always really welcoming on reception and they're very well organised.

Candice Morgan is an absolute superstar!
Within the 1st 5mins of my appointment she had figured out I had herniated a disc in my lower back, i had previously seen my GP on 2 occasions and even visted A&E and nobody told me what was wrong with me, just given painkillers and sent away.
I saw candice for four sessions and her hands on approach and knowledge of muscloskeletal issues are exceptional, she is an expert in her field and has a warm, friendly and professional approach.
Candice I can not thank you enough! You have fixed me!
Highly recommended!